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LAS VEGAS -- The do it yourself trend to home renovation is taking off and customers are saving hundreds in the process.

From landscaping to painting, Rebecca Smith is getting ready to tackle it all. She just bought a foreclosed home that needs a lot of work.

"A lot of cosmetic stuff that needed to be done. Leaking faucets, plumbing, the whole nine yards," she said.

Instead of hiring a professional, Smith says saving money is more of a priority. In an economy that forces people to watch every penny, the do it yourself trend is a necessity.

Home Depot supervisor Corwyn Frierson says the majority of their new customers are either fixing up a foreclosed home they just bought or are improving a home they're forced to stay in to make life a little more enjoyable.

LAS VEGAS -- Nevada is one of five states that will get more than $100 million to help with the housing crisis. It is part of the so called "hardest-hit fund."

While a lot of homeowners want this money, not everyone will qualify. The foreclosure prevention program is designed to help families in states hit hardest by the housing downturn. With housing prices here plummeting, and families unable to pay their monthly notes, the government hopes it will bring much needed relief to homeowners who've exhausted their options.

"I went to my bank to try to get modifications. I went through the government programs, through Fanny Mae, Freddie Mac, and I went through the 888 housing help line on the Nevada foreclosure site," said Georgia Richardson, who is now selling her home.

WASHINGTON -- More than 2 million cribs from Evenflo, Delta Enterprise Corp. and five other companies were recalled Thursday amid concerns that babies can suffocate, become trapped or fall from the cribs.

Most of the cribs were drop-sides, which have a side rail that moves up and down so parents can lift children from them more easily. That movable side, however, can malfunction or detach from the crib, creating a dangerous gap where babies' heads can become trapped, leading to suffocation or strangulation.

The other companies involved in the recall were Child Craft, Jardine Enterprises, LaJobi, Million Dollar Baby and Simmons Juvenile Products.

LAS VEGAS - The economy is taking its toll on many Americans. A record number of people are now seeking food stamp assistance. The need is also growing in Nevada. According to the national non-profit Food Research and Action Center, Nevada is seeing a huge jump in the number of people applying for food stamps.

Yvette Reid is one of those people. Out of work for nearly two years, Reid gets about $200 a month in food stamps. With a 16-year-old son at home, she says the extra money is the only way she's able to put food on the table. "When you are used to living one way and now you have to live another, you have to save and scrounge," she said. "Food stamps are just such a help. If it wasn't for that, I don't know how my family would eat."

LAS VEGAS -- For the first time in more than three years, there was a year-over-year increase in the median price of a home.

According to the Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS a single-family home sold in Southern Nevada during April was $142,000. That's an increase of 4.4 percent from $136,000 in March and an increase of 0.2 percent from $141,720 in April 2009.

"We don't want to make too much of this just yet, but this is obviously good news for homeowners who want to see prices appreciate," said Rick Shelton, GLVAR president.

In April, 27 percent of all homes sold in Southern Nevada were short sales. Those sales continue to climb while sales of foreclosed homes is decreasing. In April, 43 percent of homes sold were in foreclosure as compared to 53 percent in February. Shelton said this shift is being supported by government efforts to encourage short sales over foreclosures.

LAS VEGAS -- A fight in a car may have led to the death of a teenage girl whose body was found near a day care center on Sunday.

Murder suspect Juan Rivera told police about the events surrounding the girl's death after he was arrested for murder, robbery and sexual assault. In a police report, Rivera told police he gave Diana Sotos a ride to a friend's house, and while they were waiting for the friend, he and Soto had a argument.

The police report also reveals that Rivera is the boyfriend of Soto's older sister and all of them were living in the same home.

Rivera told police that Soto scratched him and he he strangled her and dumped her body on East Owens. Rivera denies sexually assaulting the girl.

LAS VEGAS -- The Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors says home sales jumped 33 percent in March as buyers rushed to beat the deadline for the home buyer tax credits.

The group unveiled its latest numbers at a panel discussion on the Las Vegas housing market Wednesday morning.

Panelists say the emphasis in the coming year will be on short sales. GLVAR President Rick Shelton says he also expects there to be more foreclosures on the market because banks are not willing to work with homeowners on reducing their loans. He says that will result in more homeowners opting to do a short sale. Currently, short sales make up about half of the houses that are for sale in the market.

The panel says home prices are beginning to stabilize with the median home price for a single-family home at $136,000 which is up slightly from February. There has been an increase in home sales for the past 15 months.